With the increasing importance and use of information technology, a wide variety of data storage devices have been presented in the prior art. Conventionally, “local” data storage devices, such as “hard disk” drives, “floppy disk” drives or “flash drives”, store data files and software programs for later use by a user. Through graphical interfaces, the user may navigate through the system of a personal computing device including such a local data storage device and locate and access data stored on the local data storage device. The user can modify that data, and store new data as well.
The prior art also includes “remote” data storage techniques on another “networked” computing device, such as a server computer located on the internet which may permit a user navigating the internet on his or her personal computing device to access and/or store data on the server computer. Such a user may accomplish data storage and access via the internet using a web-based access program, which may or may not include a password and/or username secure access routine, which provides “secure” access. Typically, secure access is accomplished by a username and password field prompt; the user enters a unique username and password, which he or she keeps private, to the server which the server authenticates with a local program and, if the username and password are authentic, then presents the secure data to the user.
Each present approach to data storage in the prior art bears inherent weaknesses or drawbacks addressed by the present invention.